Husking mechanism



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HUSKING MECHANISM Original Filed April 22, 1944 4 S heet 1 Inventorkjowar a Z47. Chara/add,

1943- H. w. CHURCHILL 2,442,231

HUSKING MECHANISM I Original Filed April 22, 1944 v 4-shees sheet 2Inventor Jioward 11/. Ozaric/ze'lt,

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HUS-KING MECHANISM Original Filed April 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet sInventor I flatware &/. C/zzrc/ZML,

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' nusxme MECHANISM Original Filed April 22, 1944 4 SheetsSheet 4 y WMgiz Patented May 25, 1948 HUSKING MECHANISM Howard W. Churchill,Fairfield, Nebr.

Original application April 22, 1944, Serial No. 532,298. Divided andthis application October 8, 1945, Serial No. 621,106

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to husking mechanisms for corn harvestingmachines, and the present application is a division of my copendingappli cation, Serial Number 532,298 filed April 22, 1944, for Cornharvesting machine.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a huskingmechanism which is highly eflicient in operation, compact inconstruction, and otherwise adapted to meet the requirements forsuccessful commercial use.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide husking mechanismcomprising, in combination with the rear husking portions of combinedstripping and husking rolls, vertically reciprocating husking hookscoacting with said husking portions of the rolls to remove the husksfrom the ears of corn as they are turned and conducted rearwardly.

The invention further contemplates the provision of simple and efficientmeans for guiding the husking hooks and for driving the latter.

The exact nature of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, showing the forwardportion of a harvesting machine embodying husking mechanism constructedin accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, but with the machine turned totravel to the left rather than to the right as in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through one of thehusking mechanisms of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, taken on theline 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation looking toward the left ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the combined stripping and huskingrolls.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present invention isillustrated as forming part of a corn harvesting machine in which twosimilar corn harvesting apparatus 5 and 5a are respectively mountedlongitudinally of and upon opposite sides of a conventional agriculturaltractor 6 as disclosed in my above mentioned copending application.

Each apparatus consists of a suitable elongated frame 9 mounted in anypreferred or suitable manner longitudinally of and upon the tractor 6 atone side thereof and in a substantially horizontal position. The frame 9is provided at its forward end with spaced gathering arms I0 whose inneredges diverge forwardly for reception of the standing stalks of corntherebetween. Mounted upon the gathering arms ID are a pair of coactingsubstantially horizontal gathering chains II, and journaled in the frame9 longitudinally of the latter are a pair of coacting combined strippingand husking rolls I2 of the form shown more clearly in Figure 5. Therolls I2 have forward stripping portions I3 preferably provided withlongitudinal ribs I4 of saw tooth formation, and rear husking portionsI5 composed of a plurality of equally spaced disc sections I6. Thestripping and husking rolls are mounted with their forward strippingportions I3 disposed directly beneath the major rear portions of thegathering chains I I. The gathering chains I I conduct the stalkslongitudinally into the stripping portions I3 of the rolls, where saidportions I3 strip the stalks from the ears of corn and discharge saidstalks downwardly onto the ground while delivering the ears of cornrearward'ly onto the husking portions I5.

Mounted on the same shafts that carry the stripping and huskingrolls'and directly at the rear of the latter are simple secondaryhusking rolls I1 and I8, and mounted above and centrally between the twosets of rolls is a vertical chain conveyer I9 that extends above therear husking portions l5 of the rolls I2 and above and rearwardly of thehusking rolls l1 and I8.

In accordance with the present invention, two longitudinal series ofvertically reciprocating husking hooks 2| are provided which cooperatewith the rear husking portions I5 of the rolls I2. The hooks of oneseries face those of the other as shown clearly in Figure 3, and thoseof one series work in the spaces between the sections I6 of one roll I2,while those of the other series work in the spaces between the sectionsI6 of the other roll I2. Thus, the series of hooks 2| are disposed atopposite sides of the ears of corn as they are conveyed rearwardly bythe conveyer I9 along the rear husking portions I5 of the rolls I2.Also, said hooks are so arranged and inturned at their upper hooked endsas to engage the husks on the ears of corn to loosen and pull the huskstherefrom without having actual contact with the kernels of corn on theears or damaging them. As the hooks 2| are rapidly reciprocatedvertically and the ears of corn are conveyed rolls I2 and the hooks 2Ieffectively remove the the husks will be missed now and then, and it isthe function of the rolls l1 and. [8 to complete the husking operationwhen this occurs or to remove any portions of husks that may remain1husk fromthe ears. However, afew portions of i when the ears of cornpass to the rolls I! and I8.

Thus, completed husked ears of corn are discharged from therolls l 'land l8. 7 A pair of spaced longitudinal crank shafts 22 are journaled inthe lower portion of frame 9 beneath the rear portions l of the rolls I2and the lower ends of the husking hooks 2| are operatively connected to,the cranks 23 of these crank shafts, The shanks of the hooks Zlislidablypass through suitable guides 24 that are mounted for yieldingmovement transversely of the framei'9 in either direction under theinfluence of springs I 25. Thus, the hooks may yield laterally to insureefiicientoperation without damage to the meohai Y nism, and they areyieldingly held inwardlyin operative relation to the ears of corn beinghusked; The shafts 22 are preferably driven by suitablegearing from therear or headshafts 29 of the gathering chains H, and said head shafts290i the gathering chains are driven by gearings 3d, 31 and 32' from theforward or foot shaft 33 of conveyer i:9.. lft'will be apparent that as4 scribed. The husked ears of corn are then delivered from the rolls i1and I8 rearwardly for ultimate reception within a receptacleor wagon atthe rear of the machine. The husking mecha nism is of a novel and highlyefficient character and is embodied in a very compact 'and'efiicient"posedin parallel relation and having a plurality of equallyspaceddiscsections, two spaced longi- H tudinal'seriesof verticallyreciprocating husking hooks each husking hook embodying an elongated-straight shank having a hooked upper end,

the hooked upper ends of one series of husking hooks facingv those oftheiother series of 'husking hooks above said rollsythe shanksof'thehools of one series being arranged to work in the spaces betweenthe disc sections-of one roll and those of the other series beingarranged to Workinth'e spaces between'the disc sections of theotherzroll, means for reciprocating 'each series of husking hooksincluding a crankshaft journaled. beneath the hooks 2| reciprocatevertically, they rapidly tear the husks loose from. the ears of corn and.coact with the rear portions 15 of; the rolls l2 to remove the husksand discharge them downwardly onto the ground. The shafts 22 may also be'drivenat their rear; ends to secure a more positive actuation thereofwithout undue strain. For this purpose, the rear ends of the. shafts 22are geared to eachotheras at 33a, and one of them and parallel withthe'irolls'iandhaving.cranks alternately extending in oppositedirections and.

journaled in the lower ends of the associated hooks, and drivingmeans'for said. crank shafts.

2.. The construction defined in claim. 1, in com- I bination with guidesfor thesh'anks'of said huskis geared to a vertical shaft 3- 1 as at3411.. Shaft 3G is geared to a horizontal longitudinalshaft 35 ing,hooksslidably mounted below the rolls to move substantially horizontallytransversely of said rolls, and yieldable means, acting onsaid guides toyieldingly positionthe' two, series of that maybe driven from the shaftof roll IT.

The shafts of rolls l1 and lB may be intergeared and suitably *drivenfrom the power 'takeg-off j shaft of the tractor, but. these features,which are disclosed clearly in my above mentioned 00- pendingapplication, are :notspecifically illustrated herein as they formnospecific part of the present invention.. 1 7

In operation, the machine is driven forwardly withthe body or thetractor-located between ad jacent standing rows. of corn., Asthe machinemoves forwardly, the. standing cornin therows will be received betweenthe-gathering arms to of the respective harvesting apparatus for beingconducted rearwardly by the gathering chains H. The stalks are thenstripped from the ears of corn and the ears of corn are then husked'bythe means and in. the manner previously de file of this patent? hooks.in predetermined-spacedrelation and 't'o permit yielding of'th'e hooksof each series away 7 from those of the other series laterally ofithe'rolls.

nernaanoss CITED The following: references :INITED STATES PATENTS Number7 Name. 7 Date 735,308 Snyder Aug. 196 3 1,314,358- Morral 'Aug. 26-,191 9 1,525,063" Boyer Feb; 3,1925 1,600,212 Berger; Sept. 21, I926HOWARD WHCHURLCHHLQV,

are of record in the Stelter 1 May as, 1940;

